Feeding device



M. D. HEYMAN FEEDING DEVICE Oct. 2, 1945.

Filed Oct. 1. 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4 INVENTOR. A405550; HEY/WAN M. D. HEYMAN FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. l. 1942 Get. 2, 1945.

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M0555 0. HEYMAN Oct. 2, 1945. M. D. HEYMAN 2,385,988

FEEDING DEVICE Filed oct. 1, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mi; w

IN V EN TOR. M0555 0. HE www Patented Oct. 2,1945

FEEDING DEVICE Moses D. Herman, Cedarhnnt, N. Y., assigner of Cedarh one-half to Irene K. Heyman,

mt, N. Y.

Application october 1, i942, serial No. 460,459 1 claims. (cil zii-31) This invention relates to feeding devices, dealing more particularly with feeding devices of the magazine type.

The present invention deals with the feeding of irregular shaped pieces of material such as mica sheets and leather pieces. Such articles, as can be understood, are irregular in shape and also vary in thickness. Thus, they have no common dimension and present a problem if desired to be magazine fed in that common gauging or positioning points are absent.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide means for accurately and eiliclently feeding pieces of stock which are each diiferent in all three dimensions of length, width and thickness.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a device for automatically feeding variously shaped pieces to a machine for operation on said pieces.

The present device may be adapted for use with various types of machines, such as machines for feeding punch presses and machines for gauging the thickness of the articles handled thereby.

.The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention are realized in the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a magazine feeding device incorporating features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof as taken through the magazine, part thereof being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a valve employed in the device. Y

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a transfer arm assembly used in the invention.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the control mechanism for the magazine elevator.

In the drawings, the device includes a support base Ill which may be mounted on or in relation to a feeding mechanism, gauging machine, or the like.

As shown, the base may be formed with a slot I in which may be adjustably positioned a magazine generally designated I2. 'I'he locking means therefor may comprise clamps I3 as seen in Fig. 1.

The magazine, as at present conceived, comprises a hopper Il preferably having a V-shaped sectional form, the hopper being secured to a support bracket I5 by means of which it is secured to the base I0. 'I'he hopper bottom comprises a plate I B which, as later described, may be elevated so as to traverse substantially the entire height of the hopper. The bottom II, as shown,

is secured to a piston stem l1 which passes through a guide nipple I8 carried by the bracket Il. i

The stem I'I carries a piston l1* at its free end, said piston beingv disposed in a cylinder I9 which l is carried by the nipple I8 and is closed as by a cap 2B. To the cap there is made a connection 2 I, througha valve 22, to a sourceeither of compressed air or liquid under pressure. This' valve 22 may be controlled by means such as themicromatic switch 23 and the solenoid 24. The valve 22 is normally open and the pressure of the line 2| seeks to move the plate I6 upwardly. 'I'his moves a stack of pieces on said plate upwardly until the valve 22 is closed.

For the above purpose there is provided a bracket 25 which carries a shaft 25. The latter carries an arm 21 on one end thereof and a lever 23 on the other. The former is preferably provided with an adjusting screw 30 for suitable contact with a lever 3| pivoted at 3|'L and having operating engagement with the operating button of the switch 23. The construction shown permits of. accurate adjustment since the screw 30 may be accurately set with respect to the lever 3| and the switch 23 may be adjusted on the bracket 32 and with respect to the lever` 3| so that the operating button of the switch has suitable positional relation to the angled edge 33 of the level 3|. In this manner pivotal movement of the lever 28 effectively controls the "on and off positions of switch 23.

From the above-described structure, it may be seen that a number of irregularv shaped articles may be stacked upon the plate I6, said articles each, according to its shape, having contact with both walls of the hopper Il as can be well understood. When the hopper is first fed with a stack, the lever 2B is in its down position being out of contact with the stack. The switch 23 is, therefore, open and so is the valve 22. 'I'he elevator action, induced by the pressure upon the piston I'Il, continues until the topmost article ofthe stack engages the lever 28 and raises it on its pivot shaft 2S. The switch 23 is thus closed, closing the valve 22 and shutting the line 2| against additional pressure flow. The plate I B will stop moving upwardly.

VProvisions are made to remove the topmost piece from the hopper. To this end there is provided an arm 3l and a stud 35. This arm is urged in one direction by a spring 36 and in the other as by a cam 31 on the machine associated with the presentdevice. Said cam acts upon a roller 38 carried on an arm 39 fixed with the stud 35.

The arm 34 is provided with a suction head or nozzle 40 which, through a tube 4| and other flexible connections (not shown), is connected to a tube 42 running to the suction valve shown in Fig. 3. This valve is formed with a body 43 in which is fitted a piston 44 movable in the cylinder 45. The tube 4'6, which communicates with the cylinder 45 through a passage 41, may be connected to any suction device (not shown) for imposing a negative pressure in the tube 42,

and thus suction in the nozzle 40. This suctionV may be broken by closing the passage 41. Hence, a valve seat 48 is provided, said seat being closed by a valve 49 carried with the piston 44. Simultaneously, the nozzle 4|| is vented to atmosphere through passages 42a, cylinder 45, and vent opening 45a when the piston moves to seat the valve 43.

The foregoing is accomplished through the medium of a solenoid valve 50 controlled by a micro-switch 5| which is operated, in timed relation to the movements of the arm 34, by a cam 52 having engagement with a cam roller 53 on the arm 54.

Thus, when the suction nozzle 40 is over the stack, the cam 52 closes the switch 5| to cause retraction of the piston 44 and open the line 4| to suction. The nozzle will pick up the topmost article of the stack. Now, when the arm is moved by the cam 31, the nozzle will have a position over the point where the -article is to be deposited. The cam 52 then releases the roller 53, opening the switch 5| and breaking the suction as stated. The article will then drop upon its designated place where it may be worked upon or further moved therefrom as by feeding mechanism. If the article shows a reluctance to fall from the nozzle, air pressure may be supplied at 49 to blow it from the arm.

When the arm is moved to its position over the stack, a permanent magnet 55 carried thereby attracts and thus lifts the lever 28. This still maintains the valve 22 closed but eases pressure on the stack whereby the nozzle 40 may easily grasp the topmost piece for transportation from the hopper.

After the magnet 55 leaves the lever 28, the latter again drops onto the stack. If, in this movement, the lever 23 falls sufficiently to cause the micro-switch to open, the valve 22 will open to cause the elevator mechanism to function. The stack will thus be raised until the lever 28 is raised to cause closing of the switch 23 and consequent closing of the pressure line 2|.

From the foregoing it may be seen that the elevator feed is a function of the thickness of the piece being fed. Hence, these pieces may vary in thickness and yet the instant device will automatically feed them as herein described.

The magazine feed is carried out progressively, the stock in the hopper becoming depleted. The device needs no continuous attendance. Hence, means are provided to warn of a depletion of the stock. To this end, the plate I6 may be provided with a lug 60 and with a micro-switch 6| in the circuit of a signal such as a bell or light. When the elevator has moved up so that little stock remains thereon, the lug 60 will move into engagement with the roller E2 on the actuating arm 63 of the switch 3| to operate the signal as can be understood. The attendant may then take steps to replenish the stock. The switch 60 may, of course, control any machine with which the instant magazine feeder is associated. The stopping of the operation of such machine would bring the magazine feeder to a halt.

The foregoing description is intended only as exemplary of the invention, since machines incorporating the principles of the invention may well be constructed Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters- Patent, is: f

l. In a. feeding device having a movable stackof-articles support and means for moving said support, means for removing the outmost article of said stack, a member having engagement with the top of the stack, means including said member for controlling the movement of said support, and means carried by said article removing means for engaging said member to cause the same to operate the support moving controlling means.

2. In a device of the character described, a support for a stack of articles, a member engaged with the end of the stack opposed to the support, means for moving said support, said latter means including electrical operating means incorporating a switch, and means for removing the outmost article of said stack and including means having engagement withsaid member to move the same and cause it to actuate said switch whereby said support moving means becomes operative.

3. In a feeding device, a support for a stack of articles, means for removing the outmost article from said stack, a member engaged with said outmost article, means controlled by said member for elevating said support and stack, and means carried by said removing means for raising said member from engagement with said stack, said latter means comprising a magnet arranged to attract the mentioned member when the removing means is disposed over the stack.

4. A feeding device comprising a hopper supporting a stack of articles, means for elevating said hopper and said stack, means for removing the outmost article of said stack, and means controlled by said article removing means for causing the mentioned hopper and stack elevating means to elevate said stack a distance commensurate to the thickness of the article removed from the stack, said latter means including a member having pressure engagementA with the stack and means for engaging said member carried by the article removing means.

5. A feeding device comprising a hopper supporting a stack of articles, means for elevating said hopper and said stack, means for removing the outmost article of said stack, and means controlled by said article removing means for causing the mentioned hopper and stack elevating means to elevate said stack a distance commensurate to the thickness of the article removed from the stack, said latter means comprising a member having pressure engagement with the stack, means operatively connecting said member and the stack elevating means, and a magnetic member carried by the article removing means and having engagement with stack pressing member.

6. A feeding device comprising a hopper for a stack of articles having varying thickness, a support for said stack, elevating means for said support, means controlling said elevating means including a lever having engagement with the outmost article of the stack and adjustable members regulating the action of said controlling means for the elevating means, means for removing the topmost article of the stack, and means carried by the article removing means for operatlng the controlling and the elevating means.

'1. In a device having a. support for a stack 5 of articles, means for removing articles from said stack consecutively, and means for elevating said support a distance commensurate to the thickness of each article removed, said latter means including members having magnetic attraction, one of said members being carried by the article removing means.

t MOSES D. HEYMAN. 

